Parkhurst Putting "Frustrating" Experience Behind Him

A summer of progress for Michael Parkhurst led to a fall of discontent before a winter of
hope.

As a member of the United States national team, Parkhurst helped his country capture the 2013
Gold Cup title as well as a World Cup berth as a halftime substitute in a clinching win against
Mexico at Crew Stadium. But back home with his club team, the defender was finding only frustration
at German side Augsburg. He would make only two appearances during the 2012-13 season after joining
the team Dec. 12, 2012, and something had to give.

That finally happened earlier this week when New England, his previous Major League Soccer club,
traded his rights to the Crew. For Parkhurst, his wife and two kids, the move was sorely
needed.

“The last six months have been frustrating because following the Gold Cup and the Mexico game I
felt like I was right there with the national team possibly with a chance to be a starter,”
Parkhurst told The Dispatch yesterday in a phone interview from Chicago. “Then I go back to Germany
and I’m just sitting on the bench, not involved at all, and I know I’m missing valuable games with
the national team.”

Now Parkhurst has a chance to revive his career and his hopes of going to Brazil with the
Americans with what is expected to be an impactful season with the Crew. Parkhurst, who will turn
30 on Jan. 24, will play for Crew coach and sporting director Gregg Berhalter, who also spent part
of his professional career in the Bundesliga.

Berhalter said he is not worried about Parkhurst’s inability to crack the Augsburg lineup.

“I know the management at Augsburg and I spoke to them,” Berhalter said. “We think he is an
outstanding player. He’s trying to make the World Cup team. There’s a lot of really good things
around this story.”

Parkhurst said he began looking at loan deals in Denmark as well as returning to MLS during the
summer but ultimately opted to stay with Augsburg. It was in early December that he began having
serious conversations with MLS about returning, and the Crew quickly showed the most interest, he
said.

“There were really only a few (MLS teams) that I didn’t want to go to,” Parkhurst said. “I
wanted to get back in the States. I don’t want to get into specific teams, but there were teams
from the west coast and east coast but in the end Gregg showed that he wanted it the most and that’s
where I wanted to be.”

After trading Chad Marshall to Seattle in mid-December, Berhalter said trying to acquire a
player like Parkhurst was a no-brainer.

“It came through that he was interested in returning to the MLS,” he said. “Obviously we’d have
interest in a player like that with the position that we’re in with our center backs. He’s
versatile, and that versatility is going to help us as well. That’s another factor that added to
the allure of getting him.”

Parkhurst said he found out the deal would go through Saturday night in Germany and that he
signed the contract with the Crew on Sunday. Until that point, he said, he had remained in talks
with clubs in Denmark, where he played for F.C. Nordsjælland for five seasons.

Berhalter spoke regularly with Parkhurst for the last few weeks, the defender said, and made it
clear early on that the Crew would not bother Parkhurst if he was not interested in coming. He also
consulted with former Wake Forest teammate William Hesmer, who spent seven years on the Crew’s
roster, before pulling the trigger.

Now as he prepares to join the national team next week before joining the Crew for preseason
training Feb. 2, Parkhurst said he is both relieved and thrilled for the next chapter in his
career.

“I’m excited,” he said. “I’m relieved that it’s over. It was a lengthy process and I wanted it
to be done as quickly as possible. Things dragged out a little bit longer than I was hoping for or
Gregg was hoping for, but there was a lot that went into it. Now I’m just excited. I’m excited to
be back state-side. I’m excited to be playing in MLS again.

“I’m excited to join the Crew. I see Gregg is doing a lot of things here and bringing in a lot
of different pieces, whether it be on the coaching staff side or the playing side. He’s got a plan
and I’m happy to be a part of it to help us win some trophies.”